COLORADO — It's that time of year again! Thanksgiving is officially over, and Christmas is only 28 days away. This means it's time to get that Christmas tree.
For many families, this means driving to a National Forest, hiking in, and cutting down your own tree. The U.S. Forest Service is expecting more people this year to buy permits to chop down a tree for the holidays.
All permit sales are online for the 2020 holiday tree permit season. Online, you will also be able to download maps for where you can go in the National Forests, get information on selecting your tree and how to cut it, and how to plan your trip. The Forest Service said it's important to keep this information in mind.
"You want to make sure that you're not trespassing on private property, so going onto our website and downloading a map is essential so that you can make sure that you're staying on forest land because a lot of the forest land, especially in the Front Range area, is really adjacent to private property, and you have to make sure that you're following the law while you're up there," said PSICC's Public Affairs Officer Crystal Young.
Young also said to make sure to be prepared for winter driving conditions, especially those who are first time tree cutters.
Permits for Pikes National Forest are $20 per permit. You can find all the prices and regulations on the Forest Service website.
